Ships of the Royal BC Navy

The following is an all-time list of ships operated by the Royal BC Navy.

Pre-1911 Ships
This is an incomplete list.

Ships-of-the-Line

 * HMBCS Phoebe - fourth-rate, 1864-1870. Gifted to the newly-established British Columbia Auxiliary Navy in 1864 by the Royal Navy.

Sloops

 * Mariner-class
 * HMBCS Acorn - 1899-1908. Composite screw sloop purchased from the Royal Navy in 1899.


 * Miscellaneous classes
 * HMBCS Curlew - 1906-1912. Torpedo sloop purchased from Royal Navy in 1906.

Commissioned ships of the RBCN since 1911
* indicates lost in action.

BCC-class
Built in the United States. (*RW* CC-class)
 * HMBCS BCC-1 - 1914-1920
 * HMBCS BCC-2 - 1914-1920

H-class
RN H-class.
 * HMBCS BCH-1 - 1919-1935
 * HMBCS BCH-2 - 1919-1934
 * HMBCS BCH-3 - 1920-1936

S-class
RN S-class (first group) design built in BC.
 * HMBCS Skeena - 1932-1957
 * HMBCS Stikine - 1933-1954
 * HMBCS Skookumchuck - 1933-1944*
 * HMBCS Spuzzum - 1934-1956
 * HMBCS Steveston - 1934-1949 (lost in an accident)
 * HMBCS Salish - 1935-1943*

T-class (second group)
RN T-class (second group) design built in BC. Boats that survived the war were converted to anti-submarine vessels in 1949-50.
 * HMBCS Telford - 1941-1973
 * HMBCS Tillicum - 1942-1944*
 * HMBCS Tsimshian - 1942-1943* (first BC submarine lost in battle)
 * HMBCS Tchesinkut - 1942-1971

T-class (third group)
RN T-class (third group) design built in BC. Boats that survived the war were converted to anti-submarine vessels in 1949-50.
 * HMBCS Taghum - 1943-1945*
 * HMBCS Tsikwustum - 1943-1972
 * HMBCS Tkope - 1943-1944*
 * HMBCS Tulameen - 1943-1971
 * HMBCS Tlakmaqis - 1943-1973
 * HMBCS Tyllia - 1944-1974
 * HMBCS Telkwa - 1944*
 * HMBCS Tsowwin - 1944-1945*

River-class
West German Type 206 diesel-electric attack submarines, refitted in BC in mid 1990s.
 * HMBCS Nahatlatch - 1971-1996
 * HMBCS Quinsam (2nd) - 1971-2001
 * HMBCS Ksi Sii Aks - 1972-1998
 * HMBCS Similkameen - 1972-2002
 * HMBCS Spillimacheen - 1973-2003
 * HMBCS Xnukw - 1973-2004

Lagoon-class
Swedish Näcken-class coastal subs built in BC.
 * HMBCS DeCosmos - 1981-2010
 * HMBCS Carrington - 1982-2012
 * HMBCS Hevenor - 1982-2011
 * HMBCS Skittagetan - 1982-2014
 * HMBCS Culpepper - 1983-2013
 * HMBCS Nenahlmai - 1983-2012
 * HMBCS Kildidt - 1984-2010
 * HMBCS Estrado - 1984-2014

Trafalgar-class
RN Trafalgar-class nuclear attack submarines. HMS Trafalgar was leased by BC from the Royal Navy for two years, when the RBCN was considering replacing the River-class diesel-electric subs with nuclear-powered boats. Although the experience with the boat was positive, the decision was eventually made to abandon the nuclear submarine project, and new diesel-electric boats were bought instead.
 * HMBCS Trafalgar - 1992-1994

Lake-class
Swedish Götland-class coastal subs built in BC.
 * HMBCS Ingeborg - 2009-
 * HMBCS Gwyneth - 2010-
 * HMBCS Gwendolyn - 2011-
 * HMBCS Tara - 2012-
 * HMBCS Sylvia - 2012-
 * HMBCS Christina - 2013-
 * HMBCS Xenia - 2013-
 * HMBCS Electra - 2014-

Inlet-class
Japanese Oyashio-class attack subs.
 * HMBCS Burrard - 2000-
 * HMBCS Ucluelet - 2001-
 * HMBCS Princess Louisa - 2002-
 * HMBCS Tofino (2nd) - 2003-

US Bogue-class
Escort carriers built in the United States.


 * HMS Ameer (D01) - 1943-1946 (24 aircraft)
 * HMS Empress (D42) (1st) - 1943-1946 (24 aircraft)

Both of these ships were supplied to the Royal Navy by the United States under Lend-Lease, and were immediately assigned to the RBCN whilst remaining under Royal Navy control. The air wing was generally comprised of a mix of Sea Skemcis, Firefly and Avenger aircraft. Both ships were returned to the US in 1946.

UK Implacable-class

 * HMBCS Indefatigable (R10) - 1945-1954 (81 aircraft)

Commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1943, Indefatigable was transferred to the RBCN in December 1944, thereafter taking part in the Pacific theatre of operations, taking part most notably in Operation Chickamin. After the war, it was decided that the RBCN has little need of aircraft carriers, and plans were made for its sale; however, the outbreak of the Korean War gave the ship a reprieve, and Indy served until the end of that war. After the armistice, the plans for disposal of the ship were resurrected, eventually leading to the sale of the ship and its air arm to South Africa, where it became SAS Guy Hallifax.

The air wing could be as large as 81 aircraft, and was most usually around 75 aircraft during the war, with a mix of Sea Skemcis, Firefly and Avenger aircraft. In 1949 brief trials with the Bristol Sycamore helicopter were undertaken, though nothing came of that due to the ship's sale. By the mid 1960s, however, the sale was the cause of some regret, as the utility of helicopter carriers in ASW operations became obvious.

UK Diadem-class
The UK Diadem-class first-class protected cruiser HMS Andromeda was transferred to the RBCN in 1912.
 * HMBCS Andromeda - 1912-1924

UK Active-class
In 1911, the RBCN ordered one ship of the RN Active-class scout cruiser, identical to those built for the Royal Navy. She was commissioned into the RBCN in 1912, but was lost during the Battle of Coronel off the coast of Chile in November 1914 - the first ship of the RBCN to be lost in battle.
 * HMBCS Atsiklak - 1912-1914*

UK Town-class (Chatham Group)
In 1911, when the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy ordered the construction of the Chatham-class light cruisers, the Royal BC Navy joined in, ordering three ships. Like Australia, two of the ships for BC were built in the UK, and one (HMBCS Vancouver) domestically.
 * HMBCS New Westminster (1st) - 1913-1937
 * HMBCS Victoria (1st) - 1913-1938
 * HMBCS Vancouver (1st) - 1915-1937

UK Leander-class
Three ships of the Royal Navy's Leander-class (Amphion Group) light cruisers were built for the RBCN to replace the Town-class ships; two others, of the Leander Group, were transferred to the RBCN in 1941. Of the latter two, New Westminster was twice refit, including conversion to add guided missiles and a helicopter deck, and she served as the flagship of the RBCN from 1954 until her retirement in 1978; she has been moored at New Westminster Quay since 1981 as a museum. Prince Rupert was, together with New Westminster, refit in 1953, but due to budgetary constraints did not undergo the second refit, which left the New Westminster as the RBCN's largest ship after 1961. Amphion Group Leander Group
 * HMBCS Prince Rupert - 1936-1961
 * HMBCS Tofino (1st) - 1936-1943*
 * HMBCS Port Hardy - 1937-1949
 * HMBCS New Westminster (2nd) - 1941-1978 (ex HMS Ajax)
 * HMBCS Vancouver (2nd) - 1941-1942*

UK Admiralty M-class
These were the first destroyers built specifically for the RBCN, identical to those built for the RN.
 * HMBCS Malahat - 1915-1934
 * HMBCS Muskwa - 1915-1933
 * HMBCS Metchosin - 1916-1933
 * HMBCS Misinchinka - 1916-1934
 * HMBCS Metlakatla (1st) - 1916-1918*

UK V-class
All of these were transferred from the Royal Navy in 1933, names retained. Admiralty V-class destroyer leader Admiralty V-class destroyers
 * 'HMBCS Valkyrie - 1933-1947
 * 'HMBCS Vanessa - 1933-1947
 * 'HMBCS Velox - 1933-1942*
 * 'HMBCS Versatile - 1933-1946
 * 'HMBCS Vivacious - 1933-1944*

UK R-class
After the start of the Second World War, five R-class destroyers were built for the RBCN.
 * HMBCS Regatta - 1942-1946
 * HMBCS Rudnyk - 1942-1944*
 * HMBCS Ragnarok - 1942-1946
 * HMBCS Rifferswil - 1943-1946
 * HMBCS Rylatt - 1943-1946

UK River-class
Same as British, Australian and Canadian River-class anti-submarine frigates, ten built for the RBCN. After the war, from 1953 to 1955, five were rebuilt very similarly to the Canadian Prestonian-class rebuilds.
 * HMBCS Taku - 1942-1947
 * HMBCS Klaskish - 1942-1975
 * HMBCS Sheslay - 1942-1954
 * HMBCS Endako - 1942-1943*
 * HMBCS Chelaslie - 1942-1946
 * HMBCS Chuckwalla - 1943-1976
 * HMBCS Glenlion - 1943*
 * HMBCS Asitka - 1943-1944*
 * HMBCS Kaslo - 1943-1975
 * HMBCS Slocan - 1943-1976

UK ''Loch-class
Same as RN Loch-class anti-submarine frigates, six built for the RBCN. In 1953-54, three were modernised - the single 4-inch (100 mm) gun was replaced by the ubiquitous twin 4-inch (100 mm) mounting HA/LA Mark XIX and the A/A weaponry was standardised as a single twin mounting Mark V and four single mounting Mark VII for the 40 mm Bofors gun, with a Simple Tachymetric Director shipped for the Mark V. Radar Type 277 was fitted with the new ANU antenna array. These three were to be rebuilt, one per year, from 1962, to carry Sea Cat missiles; in the event only Loch Oichie was converted and returned to service; Loch Garry had conversion work begun, but that was cancelled mid-way and ended up being cut up on the spot. Loch Larsen's planned conversion was never started, and she served on for a few years longer unconverted.
 * HMBCS Loch Drinkie - 1944*
 * HMBCS Loch Lang - 1944-1947
 * HMBCS Loch Garry - 1944-1964
 * HMBCS Loch Oichie - 1944-1979
 * HMBCS Loch Larsen - 1944-1969
 * HMBCS Loch Long - 1944-1947

UK Type 23
With the dramatic modernisation of the submarine capabilities of the People's Republic of China, the BC Admiralty decided to return to the operation of major warships in 2004, and for the duration of the development of a new class of anti-submarine frigate, three Type 23 frigates were leased from the Royal Navy until the new ships enter service.
 * HMBCS New Westminster (3rd) - 2005-2015 (ex HMS Westminster)
 * HMBCS Vancouver (3rd) - 2005- (ex HMS Argyll)
 * HMBCS Victoria (2nd) - 2006-2016 (ex HMS Lancaster)

Indefatigable-class
Stealthy anti-submarine frigates based on the French La Fayette design. First two to be built in France, third in BC.
 * HMBCS Indefatigable (2nd) - 2014-
 * HMBCS Empress (2nd) - 2016-
 * HMBCS New Westminster (4th) - (2018)

Newington-class

 * HMBCS Newington - 1914-1920

Restless-class
From 1918 training ship at Royal Naval College of BC
 * HMBCS Restless - 1914-1920

Y-class coastal monitors
RN Humber-class
 * HMBCS Yoho - 1915-1948
 * HMBCS Yale - 1915-1946
 * HMBCS Ymir - 1915-1947
 * HMBCS Yahk - 1915-1947
 * HMBCS Yarksis - 1916-1948

Galiano-class patrol boat
Ex BC Coast Guard
 * HMBCS Galiano - 1917-1918 (ex BCCGS Galiano)

Malaspina-class patrol boat
Ex BC Coast Guard
 * HMBCS Malaspina - 1917-1920; 1939-1945 (ex BCCGS Malaspina 1914-1917, 1920-1939)

Q-class patrol boats
Hoffar-Beeching 47' Patrol Boat, 1-pounder deck gun forward, 240 hp Atlas-Imperial 6-cylinder diesel, 15 kts; Fisherman's Reserve.
 * HMBCS Qualicum (1st) - 1928-1940
 * HMBCS Quartcha - 1928-1937
 * HMBCS Quathiaski - 1928-1948
 * HMBCS Quamichan - 1928-1944
 * HMBCS Quatchka - 1928-1946
 * HMBCS Quilchena - 1928-1949
 * HMBCS Quintette - 1928-1941
 * HMBCS Queen Mary - 1929-1948
 * HMBCS Quineex - 1929-1943
 * HMBCS Quanstrom - 1929-1947
 * HMBCS Quesnel - 1929-1945
 * HMBCS Quatsino - 1929-1947
 * HMBCS Queen Charlotte - 1929-1950
 * HMBCS Quaamitch - 1929-1946
 * HMBCS Quilpituk - 1929-1948
 * HMBCS Quakie - 1929-1942
 * HMBCS Quinsam (1st) - 1929-1947
 * HMBCS Quatlena - 1929-1950
 * HMBCS Quality - 1929-1946
 * HMBCS Quascilla - 1929-1947
 * HMBCS Quilgauw - 1929-1944

1st Tribe/Kootenay-class patrol boats
RN Vosper 70' MTB built in BC with Hoffar Marine engines.
 * HMBCS Kootenay - 1941-1946
 * HMBCS Kwakiutl (1st) - 1941-1947
 * HMBCS Kaska - 1941*
 * HMBCS Kitsumkalum - 1941-1943*
 * HMBCS Kitsegugkla - 1941-1946
 * HMBCS Klahoose - 1941-1945*
 * HMBCS Kwantlen - 1941-1943*
 * HMBCS Kitselas (1st) - 1941-1946
 * HMBCS Qualicum (2nd) - 1942-1947
 * HMBCS Cheslatta - 1942*
 * HMBCS Coquitlam - 1942-1943*
 * HMBCS Chehalis - 1942-1944*
 * HMBCS Chemainus (2nd) - 1942-1943*
 * HMBCS Chilcotin (1st) - 1942-1945*
 * HMBCS Comox - 1942-1946

2nd Tribe/Shuswap-class patrol boats
RN Vosper Type I 73' MTB built in BC with Hoffar Marine engines.
 * HMBCS Shuswap (1st) - 1943-1944*
 * HMBCS Sto:lo (1st) - 1943-1946
 * HMBCS Sechelt - 1943-1955
 * HMBCS Skidegate - 1943-1956
 * HMBCS Squamish - 1943-1945*
 * HMBCS Semiahmoo - 1943-1946
 * HMBCS Skatin - 1943*
 * HMBCS Skawahlook - 1943-1944*
 * HMBCS Stellaten - 1943*

3rd Tribe/Nootka-class patrol boats
RN Vosper Type II 73' MTB built in BC with Hoffar Marine engines.
 * HMBCS Nootka (1st) - 1944-1953
 * HMBCS Metlakatla (2nd) - 1944-1945*
 * HMBCS Musqueam (1st) - 1944-1956
 * HMBCS Nanoose - 1944-1952
 * HMBCS Tlingit (1st) - 1944*
 * HMBCS Tahltan - 1944-1953
 * HMBCS Tsattine - 1944*
 * HMBCS Tsawwassen - 1944-1959
 * HMBCS Tachie - 1944-1953
 * HMBCS Haida (1st) - 1945-1960
 * HMBCS Heiltsuk - 1945-1960
 * HMBCS Haisla - 1945-1960

1st Bay/Girl-class patrol boats
Hoffar-Beeching 45' patrol boat, 12.7 mm MG deck gun forward; Fisherman's Reserve - last of the RBCN-owned Fisherman's Reserve boats; from 1976 on, Fisherman's Reserve crews provided their own boats, though one 12.7 mm machine gun mount was provided by the Navy.
 * HMBCS Emily - 1948-1976
 * HMBCS Janet - 1948-1974
 * HMBCS Fanny - 1948-1976
 * HMBCS Aimee - 1948-1972
 * HMBCS Lucy - 1948-1975
 * HMBCS Patricia - 1948-1976
 * HMBCS Carrie - 1949-1975
 * HMBCS Isabel - 1949-1973
 * HMBCS Margaret - 1949-1976
 * HMBCS Ella - 1949-1976
 * HMBCS Dolly - 1949-1974
 * HMBCS Laura - 1949-1973
 * HMBCS Frances - 1949-1961
 * HMBCS Etheline - 1950-1976
 * HMBCS Helen - 1950-1972
 * HMBCS Charlotte - 1950-1976

Governor''-class patrol boats
UK Dark-class/Admiralty Type A.
 * HMBCS Richard Blanshard - 1959-1976
 * HMBCS Sir James Douglas - 1959-1974
 * HMBCS Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy - 1959-1973
 * HMBCS Sir Frederick Seymour - 1960-1974
 * HMBCS Sir Anthony Musgrave - 1960-1975
 * HMBCS Sir Joseph William Trutch - 1960-1975

Nation''-class patrol boats
RN Brave-class. Retired prematurely due to budget cutbacks and doctrinal changes.
 * HMBCS Chilcotin (2nd) - 1960-1976
 * HMBCS Nootka (2nd) - 1960-1978
 * HMBCS Tlingit (2nd) - 1961-1982
 * HMBCS Kwakiutl (2nd) - 1961-1982
 * HMBCS Haida (2nd) - 1962-1977
 * HMBCS Sto:lo (2nd) - 1962-1983
 * HMBCS Chemainus (3rd) - 1962-1983
 * HMBCS Musqueam (2nd) - 1962-1981
 * HMBCS Shuswap (2nd) - 1963-1979
 * HMBCS Lillooet (1963-1979)

Fraser''-class torpedo hydrofoils
Hydrofoil torpedo boats based on RCN Bras d'Or-class. Were to be refit per 1987 Defence White Paper, but the end of the Cold War intervened and it was decided instead to withdraw the class.
 * HMBCS Simon Fraser - 1973-1990
 * HMBCS Sir Matthew Baillie Begbie - 1973-1991
 * HMBCS Sir James Douglas - 1974-1990
 * HMBCS William Robert Broughton - 1974-1990
 * HMBCS John Sebastian Helmcken - 1975-1991
 * HMBCS Robert Dunsmuir - 1975-1990

Prime Minister''-class missile hydrofoils
Hydrofoil missile boats, development of Fraser class. To be refit from 2013.
 * HMBCS Sir George Anthony Walken - 1988 to date
 * HMBCS Sir Richard McBride - 1989 to date
 * HMBCS Sir John Oliver - 1989 to date
 * HMBCS Sir Thomas Dufferin Pattulo - 1990 to date
 * HMBCS Sir James Dunsmuir - 1991 to date
 * HMBCS Sir William Andrew Cecil Bennett - 1992 to date

Ch-class coastal minesweeping sloops
UK Hunt-class (Belvoire group).
 * HMBCS Chilliwack - 1917-1944
 * HMBCS Chopaka - 1917-1945
 * HMBCS Cherryville - 1917-1943
 * HMBCS Chilanco - 1917-1945
 * HMBCS Chemainus (1st) - 1918-1941
 * HMBCS Chase - 1918-1944
 * HMBCS Cheakamus - 1918-1945
 * HMBCS Chezacut - 1919-1945

Bank-class minesweepers
UK Algerine-class. Three kept after 1955 as training ships with secondary minesweeping role.
 * HMBCS Yaculta - 1943-1954
 * HMBCS Tyee - 1943-1955
 * HMBCS Swiftsure - 1943-1977
 * HMBCS Nimpkish - 1943-1954
 * HMBCS Loch Katrine - 1943-1976
 * HMBCS Achilles - 1944-1953
 * HMBCS Neptune - 1944-1955
 * HMBCS Soquiel - 1944-1977

Bay-class minesweepers
Canadian Bay-class.
 * HMBCS Oak Bay - 1954-1984
 * HMBCS Boca del Infierno - 1954-1985
 * HMBCS Montserrat - 1954-1982
 * HMBCS Chickamin - 1954-1985
 * HMBCS Ts'im K'ol'hl Da Oots'ip - 1955-1986
 * HMBCS Horseshoe Bay - 1955-1984
 * HMBCS King Edward - 1955-1983
 * HMBCS Kemano - 1955-1986
 * HMBCS Saltery - 1955-1982

Canyon-class minehunters
Tripartite-class minehunter, built in BC.
 * HMBCS Kitselas (2nd) - 1982 to date
 * HMBCS Cascade - 1982 to date
 * HMBCS Hells Gate - 1982 to date
 * HMBCS Niagara - 1983 to date
 * HMBCS Klinaklini - 1983 to date
 * HMBCS Ashlu - 1984 to date
 * HMBCS Klootchman - 1984 to date
 * HMBCS Rainbow - 1985 to date
 * HMBCS Hagwilget - 1985 to date
 * HMBCS Shenango - 1985 to date

(1st) Beach-class landing craft
Ex-RN WW2 LCA.
 * HMBCS Breaker - 1948-1963
 * HMBCS Cariboo - 1948-1959
 * HMBCS Crescent - 1948-1968
 * HMBCS Equis - 1948-1966
 * HMBCS Gordons - 1948-1962
 * HMBCS Hamsterley - 1948-1964
 * HMBCS Keeha - 1948-1967
 * HMBCS Kebegwis - 1948-1968
 * HMBCS MacKenzie - 1948-1964
 * HMBCS Mabens - 1948-1960
 * HMBCS Nielsen - 1948-1966
 * HMBCS Sunset - 1948-1965
 * HMBCS Pachena - 1948-1961
 * HMBCS Saturna - 1948-1967
 * HMBCS Willows - 1948-1959

(2nd) Beach-class landing craft
West German Type 520 LCU.
 * HMBCS Britannia - 1966 to date
 * HMBCS Kitsilano - 1966 to date
 * HMBCS Saratoga - 1966 to date
 * HMBCS Columbia - 1967 to date
 * HMBCS Paarens - 1967 to date
 * HMBCS Jericho - 1967 to date
 * HMBCS Sandpiper - 1968 to date
 * HMBCS T'iitskakis - 1968 to date
 * HMBCS Waxwaal - 1968 to date

Bar-class landing craft
Australian Balikpapan-class design built in BC; assigned to Royal BC Marines.
 * HMBCS Kanaka Bar - 1972 to date
 * HMBCS China Bar - 1972 to date
 * HMBCS Nitinat Bar - 1973 to date
 * HMBCS Cantilever Bar - 1973 to date
 * HMBCS Boston Bar - 1974 to date
 * HMBCS Governors Bar - 1974 to date

Berry-class Q-ships
UK Acacia-class.
 * HMBCS Blueberry - 1915-1946
 * HMBCS Salmonberry - 1916-1943*
 * HMBCS Huckleberry - 1916-1918*
 * HMBCS Salalberry - 1916-1946